I can’t get over how tasty this quinoa lentil salad is! This delicious dish combines fresh veggies, fluffy quinoa, and protein-packed lentils with a light lemon dressing and toasted almonds.
When I made this salad the other day I decided to put a rush on it to get this bad boy on the blog ASAP.
It’s fresh and delicious and I totally devoured it standing over the mixing bowl after photos were taken.
Paul didn’t even get to try it. I literally ate the entire thing by myself. I’m not even sorry about it and totally hit my veggie count goals for the day. Heck yes!
Do you ever make goals for how many servings of veg you want to eat in a day?
All my years of studying dietetics and nutrition, plus the food pyramid we were taught as kids, have cemented it in my subconscious. I know it’s super trendy to count grams of proteins per meal or per day or whatever, but while you’re at it – count those veggies too!
If you are keeping count, you should make this salad to help crush those goals!
Nutrition Notes
As written this quinoa lentil salad is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
It’s packed to the brim with heart-healthy fiber and antioxidants and a great source of protein too. The entire bowl boasts 60 grams of protein and 48 grams of fiber, giving you 15g protein and 12g fiber per serving. Love it!
Ingredient spotlight
From your pantry you’ll grab dry quinoa, canned lentils, sliced almonds, and all your dressing ingredients: fresh garlic, avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil, red or white wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and dried oregano leaves. From the fridge we’ll use a little dijon mustard.
Produce-wise, this salad features kale, red onion, roma tomatoes, carrots, and lemon.
Looking to add some extra veggies to the mix? Bell pepper, pickled banana peppers, sliced olives, and avocado are all delicious options. Simply make a little extra dressing if you’re adding a bunch of extras.
Q: WHAT KIND OF QUINOA CAN I USE?
This salad calls for white quinoa but red quinoa or tri-color quinoa may be used as well. I love all three options for quinoa salads and they’re all healthy choices.
White quinoa tends to be a bit fluffier, making it a good starter quinoa. If you’re new to quinoa or need some process photos and tips on cooking it, check out my handy dandy “how to cook quinoa” tutorial!
Quinoa Lentil Salad
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds or roasted sunflower seeds
- ½ cup dry quinoa
- ¾ cup water
- 14 oz canned lentils (1 can)
- 2 cups finely chopped kale
- 2 roma tomatoes
- ½ shredded carrots
- ⅓ cup finely diced red onion
- salt and pepper to taste
LEMON DRESSING
- 2 lemons (juiced) and approx. 1 tsp zest
- 2 cloves fresh garlic (peeled, smashed, and minced)
- ⅓ cup avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ TBSP white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼-½ tsp dried oregano leaves to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
TOAST THE ALMONDS
- Toasting the nuts adds extra crunch and flavor! Skip this step if using roasted sunflower seeds.
- Heat the small pot or saucepan you plan on cooking the quinoa in on medium and add the sliced almonds. Toast until browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally. (approx 2-5 minutes)Transfer to a plate or cutting board to fully cool; the nuts will crisp as they cool.
COOK THE QUINOA
- Rinse and drain ½ cup quinoa using a mesh strainer/sieve. Bring the pot to medium-high heat and lightly toast the quinoa to remove any excess water, stirring often. This step is totally optional but adds to the nuttiness and fluff factor of the quinoa!
- Next add ¾ cup water, set burner to high heat, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered with the lid slightly ajar, for 13 minutes or until quinoa is fluffy and the liquid has been absorbed.
- Once the quinoa is ready, fluff with a fork and lightly season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and place in the fridge for a few minutes to cool it down.
SALAD TIME!
- While the quinoa cooks, prep remaining salad ingredients.
- In a lidded mason jar, combine dressing ingredients. For the lemon, start with the juice from both lemons and add ½ tsp lemon zest. Set aside remaining zest to add desired amount at the end after taste testing. Shake well and set aside.
- Drain and rinse lentils. Set aside.
- Wash kale, remove the center stems, and chop the leaves into small bite-size pieces. Add to the bowl and drizzle with a spoonful or two of the dressing. Lightly rub the dressing into the leaves to tenderize and flavor the kale.
- Chopping the vegetables in to small pieces will help you get a little bit of everything in each bite! Finely dice red onion and tomatoes. Add to salad bowl along with shredded carrots and lentils. Add approx. HALF the dressing and mix well.
- Once quinoa is ready, add to the salad bowl and stir to coat. Taste and add any additional salt and pepper desired. Before serving, add any additional dressing desired. Top with toasted almonds and enjoy!
- Any leftover dressing will keep up to 4 days in the fridge. I love saving a bowl of this salad for lunch the next day! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-3 days. For extra crunch, add additional toasted almonds just before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Variations and Extras
For a T-Rex version of this salad, feel free to add shredded rotisserie chicken or canned tuna.
I kept this salad vegan and dairy-free, but you can 100% add feta if you’d like.
On the veggie front, I used carrots, kale, red onions, and tomatoes. Other vegetable options to mix and match include chopped broccoli florets, diced bell pepper, pickled banana peppers, olives, cucumber, and/or arugula.
If you end up emptying your crisper drawer and adding a ton of extras, whip up some extra dressing and add any extra salt and pepper needed to cover all that veggie goodness! Enjoy!
My full quinoa gallery has over 55 fluffy quinoa recipes and counting. I think it’s safe to say I love the stuff! The Quinoa Pilaf from The Lemon Bowl blog is next on my list to try.
If you get a chance to try this tasty quinoa lentil salad recipe, let me know!
Leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) and tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your tasty creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
Questions & Reviews
Fabulous salad!
Yay! Thank you Ann!